Combined telephone and service system.



H. G. WEBSTER.

002.6211121) MLBPHONE ALW SERVICE SYS'NM.

APILNAIION NLED JAN. n. mou

Patented Novgg). 1910 H. G. WEBSTER. CGMBINBD TELEPHONE AND SERVICE SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JAN.6,1908.

, 0 97%),96 1 l manned Nov. 9. 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED sTAfrns PATENT onirica.

HARRY G. WEBSTER, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO KELLOGG SWITCHBOAR-D c SUPPLY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

COMBINED v'IELEPHONIE AND SERVICE SYSTEM.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY G. VVnnsrnR, residing at Chicago, in the county' of Cook and State ot' Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Telephone and Service Systems, of which the following is a specification.

lvly invention has to do with means for rendering available in connection with the local lines of the subscribers to an exchange, which may be of the ordinary common battery type, an auxiliary service, without interfering with the telephonie employment ot the lines. .I am enabled to send distinctive signals, by my invention, vover a subscribers line while conversation is taking place thereover to operate the relay of a telegraphic instrument, for example, which may be connected in the line at any point.

I am aware that simultaneous telephony and telegraphy over the same conductors is not novel, but so far as I am aware, systems have not hitherto been provided wherein double service is employed in connection with telephone lines which receive their current supply trema centraliied source.

In Figure l, I have illustrated telephone circuits with mechanism associated therewith for supplying auxiliary service in accordance with my invention. In Fig. 2, I have shown a somewhat varying application of my invention in connection with a telephone system of a differentcharacter from that illustrated in Fig. l.

TWhile I have elected to illustrate my in- .vention as for giving telegraph service in connection with telephone service, it is to be understood that the invention is' not limited to the specific services referred to, but that it may be employed forvarious uses as conditions may require.

Referring iirst to Fig. l, I` s'how at A and A', two telephone stations each connected with Vits appropriate line circuit at the eX- change'by'its telephone line. At- C, I have illustrated an operators cord-circuit adapted to be employed to telephonically connect the two telephone substations. The line circuits of the two lines are alike land a description of that of substation A will suice for both. 'It comprises the double Wound y line relay`29 controlling1 the circuitof the call signal lamp 31. The line -is provided also with the multiple spring-jacks 32, 32,

the customary cut-Ott relay being con- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application led January 6, 1908. Serial No. 409,523.

nected to the sleeve contacts of the spring- .,jacks and adapted for actuation to operatively disconnect the line relay 29 from the line and to connect the line conductors with the spring-jack contacts. The cord-circuit C comprises answering plug' 33 to whose sleeve contact the supervisory relay 3'5 is connected, the opposite terminal of said relay being connected to the negative side of the grounded battery B. The tip supervisory relay is provided with tw'o windings, that at the left being of relatively low resistance, say one hundred ohms, while that at the right is of relatively high resistance,

say tive hundred ohms, to the end to beA hereinafter explained. The calling end of the cord C, is provided with-the plug 3S Whose .tip contact is normally connected with the test relay 52 through normal contact 36h in the usual manner, while the calling supervisory relays 3G- antl 36a correspond Vto the relays 35 and 35a ofthe answering end of the cord. The calling end of the cord has associated with it the listening` key levers 4l, 4l, to connect in the operators telephone circuit, and the ringing key levers 42, 4t2 for placing the ringing generator 39 in operative relation with a called-for line. Each substation A or A is provided with a well known arrangement of substation 'circuits including a condenser and call-bell in permanent bridge of the line limbs while'the hook-lever 1 is arranged to establish a conductive bridge of the limbs of the line .including the transmitter and receiver, when the receiver is removed, in the usual manner.

A telegraphio local circuit associated with the line of A is indicated as .a whole at D including a suitable battery and a local magnet 7 whose armature controls a printing member which is normally operatively engaging the customary roll otpaper ribbon indicated. For controlling the local circuit, a relay is provided in the telephone line indicated as a whole at 6 and having the two windings 4 and 5 so connected as to be positions. When the telegraphio station is to be used, the said levers are to be thrown to their alternate positions thus connecting the windings 2 and 3a of the impedence coil illustrated with the two limbs of the telephone line. This coil, on account ot its high inductive capacity and high ohmic resistance, ellectually prevents undue shortcircuiting of the voice alternations, and by `the said ohniic resistance, prevents sutlicient llov.v of current from thetelephone battery to in any way atleet the operative substation control of the telephone relays.

Associated with the telcgraphic transmitting station C', I have illustrated a switch let adapted to be shifted to engage its con-- tact, the double pole switch com rising levers 8* and 9LT being also provide to be thrown to engage their respective contacts whereby thehign voltage battery Ba may be connected with the limbs of the line of substation A through the windings 8 and 9 oit the impedance coil indicated, theA sid winding being preferably of high inductance and resistance, so that the voice currents will not be shunted to ground through the battery'B, and so that the rise of potential in the telephone line may be very gradually produced when the source B3 is appliedto the line so as not to produce disturbing noises in the telephone receiver if conversation is proceeding at the time.

I will now describe the method of establishing telephonie connection between two substations such as A and Al and thereafter point out more particularly the manner in which the telegraphic ap aratus is opera-ted in connection with the tellphone circuits.

Assuming that the subscriber at A desires to converse with the subscriber at A', the removal of` the receiver at substation A allows the elevation of the hook-lever 1 where on current will low from positive battery at B, right winding of line relay Q9, over the telephone line, winding 4, hook-lever 1, windingl 5, returning through the left winding of relay 29, to negative battery at B. whereby relay 29 will be energized and lamp 3l lighted in the usual manner to indicate the call-.--.The operatoranswering, will insert plug 353 within an answering jack 32 of the calling line, current then. flowing from negative batiery at B through sleeve plug and jack Contact to ground through the cutt oitl 30 whose armatures are attracted to en gage their alternate contacts, denergizing relay 29 and putting out lamp B1. soon as this occurs, a path for the low of current is completed from battery B through the left winding of relay 35, through the tip plug and jack contact, attracted upper armature of relay 30. current thence passing out over the line and through the substation, re-

; turning through the lower attracted armaiture of relay 30, wnereon the current d1- vides, a part flowing to ground through saidc relay, the remainder. flowing through the` sleeve plug and jack contact and relay 35 to negative battery at B. This flow through the left winding of relay 35 is ot sufficient volume to cause the energization of the relay whereby its armature isv attracted and a display of answering supen visory signal 34 prevented. As soon as the operater plugged in, the relay 35 was enern gized by current through, cut-ofi relay 3() and attracted its armatures, the attraction of its right armature providing a path forv the flow of current from positive battery at B, and through the two windings of relay '35 in series to ground.

It may be stated thatthe relay' 35u has its two windings so disposed and proportioned that they oppose one another when serially included with a current source to leave the relaycore substantially neutral, so that when the hookleverat the substation is depressed, the relay will be den ergized while the raising of the substation hook-lever, producing 'a heavier flow of current through the left-hand winding enables the subscriber to control the display of the supervisory lamp 34 in the customary manner. The calling supervisory relay 36 is in these respects similar to 35a.

It may ,be stated at this point that for a satisfactory'operation of the system of my invention', a well balanced telephone line is preferably provided to the end that the application .of the telegraph service current may notrender the line noisy and so inter` fere with conversation. To this end the winding of relay 35 and the left-hand winding of relayySa are preferably of substantially like impedance and may be of one hundred ohms resistance each. As the wind- Y 'with a calling line, thesaid winding, which is preferably of similar impedance to that of the cut-off relay 30, is connected from. the tip side of the line to ground, whereby ay properly balanced circuit at the exchange is secured. To a similar end, the windings 2 and 3a of the impedance coil at l) are desirably of equal impedance.

The operator having answered, now actuates levers 41, 4l, to include her talking set in connection with the calling substation and ascertains the number of the wanted subscriber, battery being supplied to energize the transmitter at A over the circuit' already traced Having ascertained the number, the operator will touch the tip of calling plug 38 to the sleeve contact of a spring-jack 32 of .the Wanted line to ascertain ,itsV idle or 1:

Crt

97e,9e1 n 8 busy condition, 1i the line be idle, the Sleew contact tested will beef the potential ol ground, no actuation of the connnon test relay will be produced and the armature of said relay will not be attracted to cause the busy click in the operators head telephone.

If. however, the called line be busy, the insertion of some plug within a. spring-jack of the line `will have produced a potential other than at ground at the sleeve contact. tested, which potential developing into current, .rillcirculate through the common test relay i causing its actuation and the customary clifk. Assuming that the line wanted, test- `simi-lar in resistance and inductance to the cut-oli' relay 30, the line being thus maintained balanced while the operator is ringing. Current from the grounded alternator 39 Will'now be transnntted by means of the induction coil 40 and its associated con-- densers' through the attracted armatures of relay 51 and out over the called line causing` the substation bell'to ring as usual. The

tracting armatures 361 and 36C, connecting 4t.'

the right-hand windingof relay `36 to ground, disconnectinJ,` the test rclny 52 from the tip strandot the cord and completing` the talking circuit of the tip cord strand whereby the calling supervisory relay 8G is operatively connected with the called-for line. Current will thus flow from battery B through the left winding of said relay 36a, alternate contact 3 6", tip plug and jack contact," attracted upper armature o't relay 3() over the calling line and through the raised hook-lever, as soon as the subscriber responds, returning through the lower attracted armature o1 relay 30. lever 4t2 and relay 3G to negativer battery at B. Thus, as soon as the called subscriber answers, the calling` supervisory signal lamp 37, displayed 011 the energization of relay 8G, will be put out and the operator will know that a response has been made. Sin the right-hand winding of relay 36 is of like impedance to that of the cut-off relay 530 of the called-for line,

it will be seen that the circuit of the called line will be balanced in a manner similar tothat of the calling, line..

.The two subscribers may now,convrse 1t will be. seen and when. at the conclusion ol conversation` they replace their recci\e1s.tl1e act at substation A will reduce the current 'How through the lel'twinding ot relay 35a to such an extent that the right winding will substantially balance the lett one and -the relays armature will be retracted and the supervisory lamp 34 displayed, while t-he act at substation A will similarly affect the windings of relay 3G whose armature will be also retracted and the calling supervisory lam'p 3T displayed. Observing the 'display of the two signals, the operator will withd1'aw-11lugs '$33. '38, and the telephonic apparat-us will be in its normal quiescent condition.

I will now describe briefly the operation of the telegraphic circuit mechanism. Assuming that a message is to be transmitted to station D, the levers 2, 3. will have. been thrown to conmcting position with the windings 2, 3, The operator at C being ready to transmit a message will throw the levers 14, 8b and 9" to their connecting po'- sitions, when current will flow from the negative side of the high voltage battery-*ABS* through the contacts 15C, 15, 14a, in parallel through contacts Sl. 9, windings S, 9, the line limbs of substation A, windings and 4, contacts 2,23, windings 2, 3a, to ground. This How ot current in parallel through the windings 4, 5, will be in such direction that the windings will produce magnetism of the relay core (which, it may be remarked, was not produced by them by the transmitter supply current, the winding being then in series so that the telephone current produced no attraction of the armature of relay (3) but the said windings will cumulatively magnctiZethe core of relay G so that its armature will be attracted and the relay 7 be energized to attract its armature whereby the printing member is removed from the pcriphery of the. rotating roll ot pap r ribbon. The operator aty C may now acluate the transmitting key to open and close the circuit of battery l5, dencrgizing and cnergizing the. relay (i to open and close the local circuit, the telcgraphic message being recorded in the. customary manner by the printing member.

It will be seen that when the battery ll is connected with the two limbs of the telcphone line, the right-hand winding of line relay 29 will receive some current-` assuming the line is idle, because the batteries B3 and B will then be connected in series, but the relay 29 is sultlciently insensitive not to attractI its arnn'iture in response to the small amount of current then passing through it. the current 'being limited by the high resistance. of the 'Winding 9a. The resistance 9a is suc-l1 thatthe current| 4flowing to line therethrough does not affect the operation of the relay se thatthe operation of the telethe grounded generates.' 'l, include the. in-

` earth.

operation of tlf-.c described .L

station and A." are similar and a descripbeing .preferably ot 'very high resistance. so

operatively unaffected by their connection to comprising the parts B, B', having` the inter- 40 mediate -po1nt grounded, provided and phone signals is entirely unaffected and distinct from the 'service system and independent thereof, independent simultaneous operation of the two systems being providedv for.

It will be apparent that since the wind ings 8, 9a and 3* are'of very high indue-tance and also of very high ohmic resistance, the opening and closing of the key l5il will have very slight disturbing eii'ect, assuming that the telephone is being used for conversational purposes at the time the telegrapliic message is being transmitted, and that fui thermore, as the circuit of the line is accun rately balanced, the current sent trom battery Ba in. parallel over the line limbs will flow to ground over each line limb with sulo- Stantially equal facility so that no telephonie disturbance can result.

It is apparent that by throwing the proper keys Mb, Se and. 9, the operator at C may, by the key l5, transmit a message telegraphically to the station at D', while by throwing the proper keys and actuating the key 15C, it is obvious that the same telegraphie message may be simultaneously l trensmittedfrom station C to a plurality ot stations D, D.

In Fig. 2, I have-indicated a pair of telephone stations' A, A, extending by their telephone lines to an exchange and there providing the well known three-wire multiple line circuitsfthe circuit ditering from that generally employed byI the licensees of the American Telephone t Teleffraph Company in that the line relay 29 is provided with a double Winding. The cordecircuit C is also similar to that customarily employed by the said licensees, except in that a split buttery that, in the tip cord strand wif the answering and calling plugs, resistances are inserted to balance those oit the custounny'shunted superyisory relays 35 andBl. The connections of ductance coil 40 hai/'ing an intermediate i point ot its secoi'ulury winding connected tm The metlnal in which the line 'gnals and supervisorysignals, and Uenerally the ins, are so l i well known that a more speoilie i't:i"o1e11e. to the telephone apparatus ot' Fig. 2 consid. ered unnmtesaary. The telegiaphic mechanism illustrated at l' and D in lflig. 2 tor sub.

tion ot that for l) only will behgiven. The double pole switch 3, provided'to "com noot the windings it.. 5, of the relay (i to the limbs of the telephone line, the said windings as to prevent shunting ot' the voire .currents 'when the line is being used 'for conversation, and their induetancc and resistance very high so that the telephone service apparatus is' nection with the contacts 13 and 28 respec.

tively.

Assuming that while com'ersationV is proceeding over line A. and that a. telegraphie message is to be transmitted to station D, the lever Q0 may be thrown to connecting position and thevlcy l'T operated to energize and denergize the relay l() which, by its armature l1, `will first connect together the two limbs ot the telephone line of A. through the impedai'iees 8, 9, and then simultaneously connect the* two said limbs with generator Q2 from which current will How in parallel throughl windings 8, 9, and 'throughwindings el., 5, ot relay 6 to ground, energizing the relay to attract its armature and close the local circuit of relay 7, whose armature will be attracted to cause the printing inem ber to engage the rotating roll of paper ribl show Varying arrangements of switches and keys adapted for en'iployn'ient to transmit messages telegraphically over one or a plu rality ot' lines. For instance, the key 18 might he thrown to engage its Contact in which ease the relays 1G and 25 would be siu multa neously energized, then, assuming that at stations l) and D', switches Q', had been thrown to connecting position, the operator might.y by key 2]., directly connect the generator with the two telephone. lines and trans .iit thel desired nuissage; The Various coniliiualions that may he secured are obvious und will'not be partirularly` described.

It will be understood that my invention may be applied to various purposes such as alarm clock orticker systems, and is not limited in these respects.

lIii/carrying out my invention, .it is only necessary that the special service currents,

,which are transmitted to actuaie the special Service mechanism, should be such as to cause the operation of a controlling elertromagnet or relay of the charactereommonly employed in the art in suchimecbanisms. In the appended claims, I have used the term steady Vito define currents of this character.4 i

What claim as new and desired-tov secure by Letters Patent of the United States, iszl. A combined telephone and service system including a telephone line, a central source of current, means i'or causing a' steady tlow oi; current from said source in series over the limbs of said line,means for causing -.a flow of steady current in parallel over the sponsive to said flow of current in parallel but unresponsive to said flow of current in series, and means rendering said devices simultaneously and independently operable.

Q. A combined telephone and service. system including a telephone line, a central source of current, telephone signaling mechanism operable by steady current from said source over said line, means for transmitting special lservice signals by steady currents over said line, and means for preventing interference wit-li said mechanism by said signal currents.

3. A combined telephone and service system including a telephone line, a central source of current for supplying energy to said line. and means for transmitting special service impulses by steady current over said line whilepi'eventing operative interference with the telephone. service currents thereby.

al. A combined telephone and service system including a telephone line, a central source of current adapted to energize said telephone line for telephone service, means toi' transmitting special service signals over said line by completing anadditional path for the lolw oi steady current over said line, and means for preventing interference. between the telephone currents and the service currents when simultaneously flowing over said telephone line. i

A combined telephone and service system including a telephone line, a central source of current, telephone signaling mechanism operable by steady current from said source over said line, means for transmitting'` special service signals by steady currents' over ,said line'. and meanspreventing interference between said mechanism and the service signals when simultaneously operatlservice signals aie being transmitted.

7. A combined telephone and service systeni including a telephone line, telephone signaling mechanism at the exchange, means for transmitting special service signals over `said line by the use of steady current, a central source of current, a switch at the substation of said line adapted to control the flow of current from said source to operate said signaling mechanism independently of, and While said service signals are being transmitted, and means whereby iiiterference with said service signals by the operation of said mechanism is prevented.

8. A combined telephone andservice system including a telephone line, telephone signaling mechanism at the'exchange, a central source at the exchange for supplying current to said line to control said mechanism. means for transmitting special service signals over said line by the use of steady current, and apparatus adapted to control said mechanism independently of said service signals and while the same are being transmitted. i i

9. A combined telephone and service system including a telephone line, a special service relay having a. pair of windings. one connected with each limb or' said telephone line, a central source ot' current, telephone source flowing in series over the limbs of said telephone line, special service means for transmitting steady currents in parallel over said line limbs and through said relay windings, and means preventingr interference between said telephone and service signals when simultaneously operating.y

10. A combined telephone and-service system including a telephone line extending from a substation by its two limbsto an exchange, a central .source of current, telephone signals controllable by current from said source flowing through said substation in series through said line' limbs, a third conductor, a special service relay having windings connected to said conductor, one from cach limb of said line, said rela being unresponsive to the telephone signa ing currents, apparatus for causing a flow of steady currentin parallel over said line limbs to actuate said special service relay, and means preventing interference between said telephone and special service signals when simultaneously operating. i.

A1. Acombined telephone service system including a telephone line, a substation therefor, a central` source of current, -tele- .phone signals operable from said source, special service means for transmitting steady current4 over said telephone line, a special service section on said line havinginechanism responsiveto said service current but rents, a switch at said substationfor controlling current from sgaid source to operate said telephone signals, said signals being unresponsive to said service current, and means unresponsive to the telephone signal cur.

signals controllable by current from said i,

' rect current impulsesover the conductors of said metallic circuit, a signal receiving instrument responsive to current from said alternating source, but not responsive to said direct current impulses, and a signal receiving instrument responsive to said direct current impulses but not responsive to said alternating current.

13. A combined telephone and service system including a telephone line., a telephone transmitter and a special service relay conductively connected 1n circuit with the limbs of said telephone line, a central source of alternating current, telephone signaling mechanism controllable by current from said avessi l Asource owing over the limbs of said telephone line, means for transmittlng special service currents over said line limbs and through the windings of saidl relay, said relay being unresponsive to curre t from said, alternating source, and means` or en rgizing said transmitter over said line liru s.

14. A combined 'telephone and service'system including va telephone line, a sourceA of current, service mechanism, and telephone mechanism operable b steady current from said source over said lli mitting telephone signallng currents over said line, Aand means for preventing the operation of said mechanism by said signaling currents.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribed 40 my name this 3rd day of J an., 1908.

HARRY G. WEBSTER.

Witnesses:

Bassin SKINNER, CAROLYN WEBER.

ne, means for trans f 

